Bridging the Ancient ✓

Chapter 43

Huddled into the smallest ball possible, I take a deep breath and watch it cloud in front of my face. The fire illuminates everything that I can't see, stranded on the edge of a mountain ledge with the world looming down below. I've given up on looking down, low clouds and fog block out what is the dirt that I want so desperately to step on once more.

Across the fire, Renit warms his hands by cupping them in front of his mouth. Unlike me, he hasn't found the strength to try sleeping, huddled into the most uncomfortable ball imaginable. I press my back against a large boulder, cold from the winds, and try to quell the shivering inside of my body.

Lona is north and the farther north we go, the colder it's going to get. Even in the summers, the nights drop down to low temperatures and fire, a beacon rather, is necessary to survive. We've already eaten our meals and sipped on what water we have left to make it the rest of the way—the only thing for us to do now is brave through the night and wait for the sun to rise.

For the second night in a row, we've slept on this mountain. There is no end in sight but Renit is certain we're moving in the right direction. I haven't been able to tell—haven't really been looking—as we snake around the side of the mountain. The prince tells me we'll be able to spot the city by midday tomorrow and if we don't, then it won't be long before we do.

If. I'm tired of hearing the word if.

My teeth begin to chatter. "Best to sleep now, spitfire," Renit snarls for the third time tonight. "You'll move slow if you don't get enough sleep."

"I can't sleep," I argue. "It's too cold out here and I can't get comfortable." To prove my point, I shift and roll onto my other side so the flame scorches my back instead of my front. Either way, the stone floor of the mountain digs into my side and the flat satchel used as a pillow flattens, even with my arm for support.

"I can do nothing about the conditions. Forget about them and you'll sleep easy."

I laugh through my teeth. "You say that like it's easy."

"That's because it is. I've spent many nights freezing my ass off and still found the strength to sleep. It takes focus. Forget about your worries and you'll find sleeping is much easier when you're relaxed, rather than trying to force it."

I nearly snarl at the even tone of his voice. He's always so calm in situations like this when he tries to force his teachings on me. Yes, he's been through terrible things, but this is my first time being anywhere other than Arego and the capital. I'm allowed some slack, at least. On the chilliest days, we stayed by the fire and read books. We didn't climb mountains and sleep with nothing more than our clothes as blankets. I'm new to this entire world.

I raise my head to look at him. Those metallic eyes stare right back at me and his dark lashes cast shadows over his eyelids. He wears a cloak with a heavy hood to conceal most of his features and to block out the majority of the wind, but I've memorized enough of Renit's face to know where to look.

No one noticed other than me but he took out the black gouges signifying him as a member of the royal family. In full clothes and armor, the only sign of his tattoos are the three points at the base of his throat and at the nape of his neck. Anyone passing him would not recognize him as the king wants him to be seen. Renit looks like a normal witch, without the element of force from his father's rule.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" I ask.

"Someone has to keep watch. Anyone could be observing us right now and if we're not careful, our supplies or our lives will be stolen. As I've said before, Lona doesn't take kindly to intruders. The land is sacred to the witches living there," Renit utters so the mountains themselves don't hear him.